A SERVICE which provides education for pupils who are unable to attend mainstream school has been given a good grade by Ofsted inspectors.

Education Other Than At School operates The Stratton Education Centre, The Riverside School, The Adolescent School Unit and The Hospital And Home Education Service.

The service, which was placed in special measures in 2009 but given a grade of satisfactory in 2011, has now been given an overall grade of good.

EOTAS headteacher Richard Marshall, said: “It is a fantastic report. It is down to the hard work of all the pupils and staff.

“I have been here for nearly two years and it has now moved into a good category, which really is fantastic progress.

“Everyone is over the moon with the report.

“We now want to maintain the progress that we are making.”

The Stratton Education Centre caters for pupils with behavioural, emotional or social difficulties, and The Riverside Centre provides education for vulnerable or anxious pupils.

The Adolescent School Unit at The Child and Adolescent Mental Health Unit teaches up to post 16 pupils referred to CAMHS by local authority health services. Most of these pupils are in-patients.

And The Hospital And Home Education Service operates from the Great Western Hospital classroom providing education in the mornings for patients in the children’s ward.

Pupils who cannot attend school for medical reasons may attend the afternoon class or receive individual tuition in their homes.

In the report, inspectors said: “The majority of students across all four sites achieve well during their time at the Pupil Referral Unit. Achievement in English, mathematics and personal development is good.

“Teaching is almost always good which means students make the progress expected of them. In the best teaching, students are challenged so that they work extend their skills.”

Inspectors also praised students’ opportunities to attain good-quality accreditation by the time they leave the school in Years 11 or 13, and they also said the quality of care and support is good.

“Behaviour is good. There are many examples of students’ behaviour improving quickly once they start at the PRU. Students on each site say they feel safe,” inspectors said.

“Leadership and management are good. Leaders place a strong focus on improving the performance of staff through rigorous monitoring and training.”